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A Composite Look at PNU Supporters' Views PDF Print E-mail
Written by Joseph Hamisi Silaha   
Wednesday, 02 January 2008

Over the course of today I have spoken with a number of PNU supporters about the political situation in Kenya.  Not surprisingly they all had pretty similar views.  I have have created a composite look at their opinions. 

Note: I have transcribed these views pretty dispassionately -- they are not my personal opinions, but we all benefit if we know how our compatriots are thinking

On the Presidency:  Mwai Kibaki is the legitimately elected president of Kenya, who has to serve all.  But remember neither Kibaki nor Raila would agree to step down, or even back down.  They both want it all. What Raila can do is accept he was beaten, other than the courts there is nothing else he can do, legally .

On ethnicity:  The ODM folks are all out against the Kikuyus who will never hold up their heads if Kibaki agrees to any compromise.  People used to say we can never be like Rwanda or Sudan or Central Africa .... now where are we heading if this thing is not stopped today, before Kikuyus retaliate the way they did in 1969 or 1992, the genesis of Mungiki.

On the tallying:  There was an overnight audit, attended by two representatives from each of the parties.  By morning everyone knew the outcome.  We knew it, ODM and ODM-K also knew it.  That's why we were prepared for the inauguration when the announcement finally came.

On Kivuitu:  Once he has handed the certificate to the victor his constitutional role is complete.  He has no further role to play.  He can say whatever he wants just like any citizen.  Remember he was an ODM person, they are the ones that agitated for his renomination.  Kivuitu has said that people called him, not threatened him or forced him to cheat.

On the situation in Nairobi:  Nairobi is not too bad ... the banks had to open. Now it appears calm, everything is fine.  We're almost back to normal.  But it was not too good yesterday; the men in our estate (about 20 or so) were up the whole night with what ever arms we could get our hands on but with our luck the thugs did not come.  We could hear shooting from home but the cops and GSU were in control. The 1982 coup attempt was not as scary as the way I felt jana ... or maybe it's just that I was younger then.  We don't know what will happen tomorrow.  Unfortunately there is also no food in the supermarket shelves here in Nairobi and no food at the markets.

On the situation up country:  The people burnt in the church in Eldoret were killed by Raila.  But it was to be expected, win or lose, the Kalenjins were determined to expel the Kikuyu from Rift Valley.  But the Army has now gone to Eldoret to clean up the final issues.  We are talking to our staff in Kisumu, Bungoma, Homa Bay. Eldoret & Kericho, the staff who are not Luo or Kalenjin slept at the DCs offices or at the airport.

On the wazees:  They always say they know all and nobody can tell them how to do things ... their arrogance is going to be their downfall. They had 5 years to put in place real democratic institutions.  To curb the powers of the Presidency so that the thought of a Raila presidency would not be so terifying to them, but no they did not.

On the Jan 3rd Rally: The rally should not go on.  Even Raila may not be able to control the 1,000,000 people.  So now we should let him destroy Nairobi the way he has destroyed Eldoret and Kisumu, no way.  No sitting government that wants to maintain some semblance of normalcy could allow the rally to go on.

On the security forces:  This is not simply a Kikuyu thing, it is important to remember that there are more Kalenjins in the Army and GSU than anyone else. 

On the British and Americans:  The British are upset because we do not buy military hardware from them any more.  The Land Rover dealership CMC and their major shareholder Njonjo were major funders of ODM (Njonjo must really hate Kibaki).  The Americans don't seem to believe in the rule of law, or at least, that we have our own due process.

On Raila's claim against corruption:  What moral right does he have to accuse us of corruption when the Kamanis of Anglo Leasing were the largest contributors to his campaign -- he promised them amnesty from prosecution.  He even took money from Kamlesh Pattni.

On Kibaki's meeting with MPs:  Raila called a meeting with his ODM MPs at the same time to ensure that they did not go to State House.

On the new cabinet:  Kibaki wants to form a cabinet representative of all the regions in the country but he is challenged because he simply does not have the numbers.  He can only nominate 2 people, so that is not an option.   It is likely that we will have to have another general election in a couple of years, if he is lucky, or it may fall apart in a early as a month or so.

On Raila's MOUs:  Raila is worried because he mortgaged the country with MoUs he signed left and right -- like in Dubai, in South Africa, with the Muslims.  He is in a bind because now that he has lost he does not know how he will honour them.


Joseph Hamisi Silaha
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Why bother
written by Chiefouko , January 03, 2008
The frustration for me could be when am called to the negotiation table and on the other hand sits such a person.

Where do you start?
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written by aeichener , January 03, 2008
An arduous, but very worthwhile task, this florilegium. Thanks to the collector for his word!

I shall not *dispute* these opinions as such, there are other threads for such. This one is meant as reference and information, so we may here discuss *about* them ("why do they think so?"smilies/wink.gif but not against them ("they are wrong"smilies/wink.gif.

In this sense, once precision:

The PNU position as to Kivuitu is that he was under pressure not to declare any specific result, but under pressure to end the insupportable agony of waiting, while violence had already flared up and threatened to spread further, unless clarity about the election outcome was to be had.

In other words, according to PNU supporters, Kivuitu was pressured to not procrastinate and ponder further, but to declare the temporary conclusions that the ECK had come to.
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We are on the way to self dist
written by Rogo , January 03, 2008
Reading these comments reveals how different our opinions are. This explains why there is so much anger and violence going on. Our stands and opinions seems ending to different direction. No one want to compromise neither me no you, neither kibaki nor raila, neither PNU nor ODM. This is surely a way to self distruction as a nation. Wakenya wenzangu let us be open minded and accept our differences and build a united nation. Otherwise we are on our way to transform kenya into another hell!
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written by pushka , January 03, 2008
In the spirit of give and take, I've been wondering what Kibaki can 'give' and what Raila can 'take' and I am lost for words.

Raila initially demanded MK to resign first. I dont see that happening.

Now he has changed the tune and would like a GNU with the sole purpose of cobling a new election in three months.

Kibaki can surely accept this, however such a move will be purely for the benefit of ODM and Raila and not for PNU or the country. I can not see how another 3 months of endless campaigning will both calm tensions or give us free and fair elections devoid of the tampering that we've seen.

So which way forward? How about Kalonzo to be acting president for three months then an MoU that both Raila and MK will not contest in three months time? :-)

A brotha can dream
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written by a guest , January 03, 2008
Edited.
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PNU has missed several trains
written by Wuod Aketch , January 03, 2008
To pushka:

By the way Kibaki has no more choice but to settle for a GNU and time is running out - his people have already suffered enough. Most are migrating to neighboring countries.
The opposition has lots of time to burn in front of it and Tuesday is a long way to wait to see what will happen in Nairobi's uhuru Park.
While I respect the opinions of PNU as collected by Joseph Hamisi Silaha, I have the impression that they have missed several trains and think that Kenya is still campaigning. We are past elections and the situation on the ground calls for quick action.

In short Kibaki and those holed in state house are already burning out their fuel and may soon be given no more options.

Remember that we have neighbors who are already grambling over fuel shortages caused by the no-go situation in Kenya.

Superfluous entire quotation of previous comment edited out. Ed.
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written by a guest , January 03, 2008
This is MUCH BIGGER than alleged rigging - it is about the ethnic cleansing ODINGA'S supporters are seeking against Kikuyus. Similar to what we saw when they burned down a church filled with innocent women and children amongst other crimes against humanity they have committed this past week.

Edited for incitement and internalized racism. Ed.
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Twilight robbery, daylight mur
written by InSidious , January 03, 2008
"THE decision to return Kenya's 76-year-old incumbent president, Mwai Kibaki, to office was not made by the Kenyan people but by a small group of hardline leaders from Mr Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe. They made up their minds before the result was announced, perhaps even before the opposition candidate, Raila Odinga, had opened up a lead in early returns from the December 27th election. It was a civil coup".

The Economist's take on the issue. Frankly, the Europeans take on the issue. If PNU folks believe Kenya is better now than it was before, why do the many live outside the country? Let's be sincere here, whats at state is more than a few old men with a twisted sense what is right or wrong. Actually, they don't see no wrong!

Ali's lip-service to the displaced in Eldoret, Mutua's delirium, Kimunya's arrogance and Uhuru's true colors are why we are where we are.
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A criminal cant blame another!
written by Anonymous , January 14, 2008
Being a person of mixed blood from Central and Western, I wonder will one half of me be burnt and that other half evicted from my home. Brothers and sisters we the people are the ones who need to refuse to be used by leaders to do their dirty work. If you look at the opinions from both sides, both think they are right, so who is right.

I wish the opposition was a blameless as they try to show us. We now know that they had preached a hate campaigning right from before election. They are the ones who made are really realize our different ethnic groups. That is a very bad strategy I think unless... their plan was what we are seeing now. Both sides have their faults and the best they an do is sit and talk for the sake of Kenya.
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Kikuyus and the conflict
written by eddie , January 30, 2008
(Call for more conflict deleted. Play elsewhere. Ed.)
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re: Raila and Obama
written by a guest , February 01, 2008
deleted. Ed
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Raila and Obama
written by Michael Cinzzetti , February 01, 2008
RAILA AND OBAMA
I have this eerie sense of foreboding that Kenya's troubles will have significant negative impact on US presidential contender Barack Obama. As an Obama supporter, I am concerned because I think the link could possibly ultimately derail his campaign, or at least put it into major damage control mode. I don't think that Kenya's post election problems, in and of themselves, would have had a negative impact on Obama -- Americans recognize that everybody is originally from somewhere -- had it not been for Raila's recent assertion that "Obama's father was his maternal uncle". Those are words that Obama will come to regret deeply.Raila is a Marxist who has made a pact with a hardline Islamic group in Kenya to establish Shariah courts throughout the country.
Obama interrupted his New Hampshire campaigning to speak by phone with Raila, who claims to be his cousin. He did not speak with Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki. Would Obama put African tribal or family interests ahead of U.S. interests? Very likely!

edited. Ed.
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Kalonzo\'s move
written by cload , February 01, 2008
I was dismayed at one of the stories taking the front-lines in this blog website. The header read, Why hate Kalonzo? The writer, Victor, qualified his position by mentioning how Raila also ditched opposition to join Kanu and also how clean in terms of corruption allegations. I am certain that the writer does not at all understand the circumstances that are Kalonzo's.
Please try reposting without using a dash in your sentence. Thanks. Ed.
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